His research focuses on the structure-property relationship in structural and functional nanostructured materials, in which ultra-high resolution transmission electron microscopy and surface modification techniques are key issues. He is elected member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (division physics), Royal Holland Society for Sciences, editor of 3 international journals, including Scripta Materialia, member of editorial board of 12 journals and elected Fellow of various foreign scientific societies, including TMS and ASM-International.
He received a number of international awards, including the Eminent Scientist Medal Wessex-Great Brittain/Un. of Southampton, the prestigious European Materials God Medal in 2005 and NanoSmat prize 2009.